Croatoan World
by Scififan33
Summary: AU from season 2, Wincest. Sam is infected by the Croatoan virus but instead of killing or infecting Dean he runs. Three years later most of America is infected and Dean is running a camp of survivors. Will they ever see each other again?
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: Not mine._

_Goes very AU from the Croatoan ep. Wincest._

**Chapter 1**

Dean stared at his little brother sitting slumped on the examination table, casted arm covering the wound on his shoulder even as everyone argued over what to do. But all Dean could do was watch his brother, terror gripping him as he watched and waited to see if Sam was infected. Sam looked up at him, eyes watering, and Dean moved to his side, reaching out to grip his hand and Sam managed a small smile. "It's gonna be okay Sammy, you're going to be fine." He whispered and Sam shook his head.

"You suck at lying." He responded, fighting tears. "Dean don't do this, just give me my gun and leave. Get them to safety."

"No, I can't do that." Dean answered, leaning in to kiss him while everyone was distracted and Sam kissed him back, kissing him goodbye.

"Dean please, you can't die here. You have to live, for me." Sam pleaded, he felt funny. Sort of hot and he was terrified, he had to make Dean leave before it was too late. Dean squeezed his hand and then went over to the others, telling them to take the weapons and go. They argued but eventually left and Sam choked on a sob, shaking his head. "No, you have to leave Dean. Now! Please." He couldn't bear the thought of hurting Dean, even knowing that by then he wouldn't care. He'd seen what this thing did to the others and he hated the very idea of ending up like them.

"Sam?" Dean asked in alarm and Sam looked at him, terror in his eyes. Dean hated seeing Sam so scared and this time there was nothing he could do to fix it.

"I….I think…please Dean, I don't want to hurt you." He whispered and Dean moved closer, wrapping his arms around him and Sam sagged against him, trembling. "Please Dean; give me my gun before it's too late." He begged shakily, feeling it spreading, he had to act before it reached his mind and changed him.

"Sammy…" Dean choked out, refusing to cry. He would not cry, he would find some way to fix it. He couldn't lose him. If Sam died then he might as well eat a bullet after.

"Love you, now please go." Sam lifted his head for a final kiss.

Dean kissed him, tasting Sam's tears. "I can't leave you." He breathed, heart breaking.

"You have to." Sam answered and then fell silent. The heat rushed through him, making his vision swim, everything feeling odd, disjointed and then Sam moved, shoving Dean away and lunging for a scalpel.

Dean stumbled back and then stared in shock as Sam went for the blade but instinct kicked in and he raised his gun. "Don't do it Sam, please." Sam sneered at him and he knew it wasn't his brother anymore but the Croatoan virus in him.

"Should have killed me when you had the chance Dean." Sam told him as he pinned the older male to the wall, Dean struggling against him madly.

"Fight it Sam, please. You're stronger than this." Dean begged his brother to fight for them.

"Don't worry Dean, everything will be fine." Sam raised the blade and Dean realised what he was going to do, he was going to infect him.

"Sammy." Dean gasped as the blade sliced through the skin on his collarbone, well away from his throat. The blade was so sharp that it didn't hurt at first but then the stinging pain kicked in even as he felt warm red blood trickling down his skin from the shallow wound. Sam raised his hand to his own wound and then hesitated, blinking rapidly. "Sam please don't do this." Dean whispered, seeing the hesitation. He collapsed as Sam struck him, lying dazed against the wall and then he scrambled for his gun even as Sam moved away from him. He looked up at Sam who stared back before taking off. "Sam!" Dean staggered up and after him but by the time he made it out of the clinic the streets were empty. "SAM!"

There was no answer to his desperate scream but Sam hesitated briefly in his mad run through the trees. Part of his heart cried out to turn back, to go to him but if he did…no, he had to keep running.

Dean just stared around the deserted town dazedly before stumbling to the Impala and crawling into the back seat to sleep, his head pounding. He needed to rest before attempting to leave the town and go for help before this thing spread too far out of control. Bobby, he would go to Bobby's.

_TBC….._


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: Not mine_

_Does no one like this? No reviews anywhere_

**Chapter 2**

Dean never made it to Bobby's. By the time he left the town it had already started. How could it be spreading so fast? There were a lot of wrecks on the highway, cars overturned and burnt out. He kept his eyes on the road and forced himself to ignore the bodies. Stopping for gas had been a bad idea, he'd shot three people who had come out of nowhere, armed and ready to infect or kill him.

It took a week but finally he was forced to abandon the only family he had left. He hid her as best he could and emptied the trunk of everything he could carry. Moving on foot was more dangerous in a way since he didn't have the protection of the Impala but he could move around without being noticed more easily. Walking took months and by the time he made it to Bobby's the house was gone, nothing but a burnt down ruin with no sign of the older hunter. He headed into the town after seeing it but it was just as abandoned, buildings gutted by fire or trashed by infected human hands. But at least there were some supplies left so that he could restock. Afterwards he returned to Bobby's and managed to dog out the entrance to the panic room, locking himself inside to rest. He lay on the cot and stared at the ceiling, fighting tears. He had lost all of his family now. Sam was either out there somewhere infecting and killing or else he was dead, Bobby was the same or he had managed to get out and was somewhere hiding and the Impala was rusting off the side of the highway. Could life get any worse? He closed his eyes as tears fell silently until he eventually fell into a restless sleep.

Dean spent the next several days scavenging around the town and neighbouring outlying houses and trying to figure out what to do next. Honestly there weren't many options. He could stay, live out of the panic room but eventually he'd run out of supplies or some infected people would come back and find him. Which meant he'd have to move on soon. Then what? Hunt them? What good would that do with how fast the virus spread? SO the only real option was survival, to do that he would need to find others and gather them up. Make a base camp that could be defended from the masses. As well as find the supplies to keep them all fed and healthy. Dad had never trained him for that!

* * *

Finding people who hadn't been infected was hard but he managed, getting them together in the middle of nowhere to protect themselves. Those that could fight taught the ones that couldn't and they worked hard to make some sort of home. Food and fuel were always an issue but they got by, they even eventually managed to get some vegetable gardens and crops growing. Being unable to eat meat was a problem though. Unfortunately the virus could be transmitted to animals and no one had been able to quarantine a herd or two of cows fast enough to keep them clean. That had caused a few health issues, one of the doctors said they weren't getting enough protein but they had come up with a few ways around it that went way over his head.

They'd been lucky enough in the early days to find a hospital that hadn't been raided too badly so they actually had a pretty well stocked clinic, it had been one of the first permanent buildings they had scraped together. The first had been an isolation unit for those who might be infected and they had made it as foolproof as possible. So far it had held easily enough when put to the test; it even had some running water now, a last luxury for those who may never leave the building alive.

But eventually the stockpile of medical supplies began running thin and that was when things got dangerous because as long as they were holed up in a fortified camp they were relatively safe. Going out to raid what was left of the cities and towns however was incredibly dangerous and they did lose people, some to infection and others to death while out.

But two years later they got a nice population boost when they found another group of survivors led by none other than Jo. Dean was relieved to finally find someone he knew alive and well if changed from when he had met her. Seeing her mother ripped apart had hardened the young woman but she was still friendly to him at least once she got her group settled in. it took all of two weeks for Dean to make her his second in command, he trusted her more than pretty much anyone else in the camp. He might be considered hard and too quick to give the order to kill but he was never cruel. However several of the camp guards and even the teams were picking up bad habits that he did not tolerate. Jo thankfully was of the same mind as him on the subject.

* * *

"You're going?"

Dean looked over at Jo and shrugged. "Phillip and Marcus have both managed to catch the flu so we need the extra help. It's been a while since I went out."

"There's a reason no one likes you going out Dean, what happens if you die?"

"Then you step up and take my place." He shrugged and she ground her teeth. Oh she knew why he was like this, didn't mean she had to like it though. Dean's carelessness over his own wellbeing came down to one fact; Sam was no longer at his side.

"Not like I want the responsibility of leading this bunch Dean. You better come back alive and uninfected or so help me I will kill you myself!" She snapped at him and several of the others shifted nervously in response. They went back to planning the raid and then split up to gather their gear. Dean went back to his 'home', a small hut separate from the others since he liked his privacy and space. He changed into dark clothes, hesitating before grabbing his old leather jacket and slipping it on to cover the weapons he was carrying, two guns, five knives and a machete. His amulet was tucked safely under his shirt; it was all he had left of Sam. He'd had to leave everything of his brother's behind with the Impala years ago. A small part of him still held out hope that his brother was out there somewhere but if he was then all Dean would be able to do would be to put him out of his misery. But….Sam could have infected him, could have killed him in fact but he had run instead. Did that mean something of his Sam was left in there? He shook his head and took a deep breath, pushing those thoughts aside. Thinking about Sam would just get him killed out there. He grabbed his pack and left his home, heading for the gates to wait for the others. It would be a long hike but they needed the supplies they were going after.

They walked for two days before reaching what had once been a good sized town. Silently they moved through the streets, sticking to the shadows as much as possible. The longer they remained undetected the better. They were almost there when David screamed in agony and fear. Dean turned to see the poor man go down under a pile of Croats and pulled his gun. The others did so as well and soon the alley was filled with the sound of gunshots. Unfortunately that just helped alert more to their presence. "Fall back!" Dean yelled, they were being overwhelmed by pure numbers. Better to pull out and try again in a few weeks. He shoved his now useless gun in a pocket and pulled his machete. Fighting close was not good but he was out of ammo. Hands grabbed at his jacket and he slashed back with the blade, hearing a grunt of pain as it connected but then his world exploded in pain as something impacted with his head. His legs buckled and he was driven to the ground, struggling weakly even as his world began to darken.

_TBC…_


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: Not mine._

**Chapter 3**

Jo watched the ragged group make their way back into camp and wanted to scream. She had warned him so many times. She did not want to be in command but now she was and the first thing she had to do was find out what happened. She didn't want to end up facing Dean one day but it could happen unless they reported he was dead.

* * *

Consciousness returned slowly to Dean and considering the amount of pain he was in he would rather remain unconscious. His head was throbbing viciously, he felt sick and from the way his leg felt it was probably broken so what had happened? He tried to focus past the pain enough to remember and when he did he felt a thrill of terror. Green eyes opened a slit and he tried to look around but wherever he was it was pretty gloomy. He moved, raising a hand to his head to find rough bandaging so someone had at least attempted to help him. He opened his eyes fully and shifted, biting back a groan of pain. He pushed past the pain and sat up, wincing at he got a look at his leg, definitely broken. But someone had splinted it for him. He winced and put a hand to the bandages around his head, horrified when his hand came away red with blood. He tried to keep from panicking as he remembered going down under all those infected…..he….he was infected. There was no way from him not to be. How long did he have until the virus affected him? He felt his breathing speed up and fought to calm down. Panicking would increase his heart rate which would speed up how quickly the virus spread so he had to stay calm, buy himself some time.

He heard a noise and tensed, eyes searching the gloom until he finally spotted a figure crouching in the corner. "Who's there?" the figure shifted slightly, pressing back into the shadows further. "Who are you? Did you help me?" He pushed and heard a soft whimper. He frowned at the noise, had a Croat pulled him out to wait for him to become one of them? Then why not come out and answer him? "Not going to hurt you, don't think I could." Dean grunted as he shifted. He noticed that when he showed pain the figure moved as well so he took a deep breath and then sat up, gasping in pain and wavering as his head spun. He felt someone grab him, holding him steady until the dizziness settled. He looked up and found himself staring into familiar hazel eyes. "Sam?" He choked out in shock. He grabbed his arm when he felt him going to move away. "Sammy…..I…I thought you were dead." He whispered and Sam whined. "Sam? Can you understand me?" He asked, worried that his brother hadn't spoken.

Sam whimpered softly, his body tense. He understood, mostly. It had been so long. Seeing Dean in that alley….he had reacted on instinct, attacking the others to save him and pull him out. But he could smell the infection on Dean and the scent was intensifying as it spread. He didn't want Dean to be like them. "N…u….D..e..n." he fought to try and talk, it had been so long.

Dean stared at his brother as the kid struggled to say his name, but he did manage to mostly say it. "Sammy." Dean gave him a shaky smile and Sam cocked his head to one side, long matted hair falling over his face. Dean reached up slowly to gently brush it away, feeling Sam tense slightly. It hurt to have Sam tense but who knew what he had been through over the years. "Missed you so much." Dean told him, shifting despite the pain to lean against Sam whose eyes went wide. Sam was tense for a little bit before gradually relaxing and hesitantly wrapping his arms around Dean. Dean slumped in his hold, feeling suddenly cold. He shivered and felt Sam tighten his hold, pressing close to share warmth. "Don't feel so good. I'm…I'm infected, aren't I?"

Sam whined softly and leant his head over Dean, rubbing his cheek against Dean's head. "S…i..ck?"

"Feel cold and my head hurts." He admitted. Then he watched as Sam cut his hand on a knife, blood seeping out of the wound. "Sammy?"

Sam held his bleeding hand up for Dean to see as well as the knife. "He….l…p."

Dean stared at his brother, could he trust him? But then what did he have to lose? He was already infected and soon he would be one of the things he fought against, a threat to those back at Camp. "Do it." He agreed and Sam nodded, pushing Dean's torn shirt aside before cutting him as gently as possible. Dean closed his eyes, not wanting to see but he knew that Sam had cut him exactly where Sam himself had been cut all those years ago. He felt Sam press his bleeding hand to the new wound and leave it there for a while, letting their blood mix well and then Sam gently touched his lips making Dean open his eyes. Sam nudged his lips with his hand and Dean swallowed before parting his lips and Sam let the blood dribble in. Dean shuddered and fought the urge to throw up as the blood went down his throat. He knew Sam was trying to get as much of his blood into him as possible but that didn't make it taste any better.

Sam removed his hand and then pulled out some ratty blankets, gently covering Dean with them even as he moved back to support him. Dean started shivering badly and Sam held him tightly, making soft noises in an effort to comfort him. "Scared." Dean whispered, he could almost feel the infection spreading through him and he was honestly terrified. He hadn't been this scared since Sam had been infected. He felt Sam's hand come under his chin and let him gently tug his head up. He stared up at Sam and then Sam kissed him hesitantly. Dean kissed back, turning slightly in Sam's arms to make it easier.

"De..a..n." Sam smiled a rusty sort of smile at him and Dean curled further into him, clutching at Sam's ragged jacket as he shivered and shook. It wouldn't be much longer now and all Sam could do was hope his tainted blood saved Dean.

_TBC…._


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: Not mine._

**Chapter 4**

Dean convulsed in Sam's arms as the two versions of the virus fought for control of his mind and body. All Sam could do was hold him down as Dean's unfocussed eyes rolled and he gasped for air. Sam was scared but there was nothing he could do but wait. He could feel the heat radiating off of Dean's body as he thrashed. Dean's back suddenly arched, hands scrabbling for something grip before he suddenly went limp. "De..an?" Sam called shakily. He whimpered but gently shook him and Dean groaned, head lolling to the side. Ever so slowly unfocused green eyes fluttered open. "De." He called out the childish nickname but it was easier to say and hurt his throat less. He was scared, what if Dean was like them and not him. Dean licked his lips and Sam could see him struggling to focus.

"S…Sam..my." Came the slurred response. Sam gently lifted him up and held him close, Dean's skin was cooler but still too warm. Dean stayed limp in his hold but pressed into the hand that gently ran through his hair.

"Here." Sam assured him, leaning down to kiss his cheek. Dean closed his eyes again, resting in his brothers arms. Sam just held him and waited for him to recover, still unsure which virus had won with how worn out Dean was. He felt Dean fall asleep and shifted around, covering them with a blanket he held Dean close as he fell asleep as well. For once he slept without nightmares, utterly content with Dean in his arms.

Dean woke the next morning and stayed utterly still, unsure what was going on. He felt different, he could feel anger simmering just below the surface but he could push it aside and not act on it. The light pouring in through the broken window hurt his eyes and the room stunk. He could feel arms around him and a larger body holding him close, instinct telling him to lash out but he forced himself not to as he recognised the feel of the body behind him. Sam, it was Sammy, his little brother whom he hadn't seen in years. The memories of the fight and then talking with Sam slowly trickled back and he closed his eyes. He knew why he felt different, he'd been infected. He shifted in Sam's hold and felt his arms tighten before loosening a bit and Sam moved to sit up more. Dean tilted his head back to look at him. "You're real Sam." Dean whispered and Sam stared intently at him before smiling at him in relief.

"Feel?" Sam asked, deciding it was easier to stick to single, short words.

"My head hurts." He admitted and Sam gently helped him sit up before moving away only to come back with an old container. Inside though was clean water which Dean gratefully drank. He leant against the wall after he finished and found Sam watching him closely. "Not going to go crazy on you kiddo." He muttered. Sam moved closer, leaning against his side. Dean lifted a hand to gently run over the long matted hair.

"Feel dif..diff.."

"Different?" Dean tried and Sam nodded. Dean swallowed and nodded. "Yeah." He admitted. "But it's not uncontrollable." Dean reached out to take Sam's hand, gently entwining their fingers.

"Angry?"

"Yeah. And the light feels too bright, I can smell more and I had the instinct to lash out when I woke up with you holding me. But I controlled it." He explained and Sam smiled.

"Good. Need con…trol."

Dean nodded in understanding. He could do this; he wouldn't be a monster like the others. He wouldn't become a threat to all he cared about. "Is this your home?"

Sam shrugged. "Move lots." Talking was slowly getting easier.

"Why did you run Sam? You didn't have to leave." Dean whispered and Sam shook his head.

"Had to, coul..dn't…" Sam closed his eyes in frustration.

"Just take it slow and easy." Dean offered and Sam took a deep breath.

"Not control….hurt you….had to leave." Sam told him.

"But you stopped yourself from really hurting me."

"Didn't trust."

"You didn't trust yourself not to hurt me again?" Dean asked and Sam nodded. "I missed you so much. I…I thought you were dead. Most infected don't live this long, they die fighting or starve, anything like that."

"Missed you." Sam told him.

"What happens now?" Dean asked and then winced, hand going to the bandage around his head.

"Not move." Sam gently touched his splinted leg and Dean nodded, there was no way he could travel.

* * *

Dean grinned as Sam slipped into the room, sealing the entry behind himself. Sam grinned back and then revealed his find, several still sealed tins of baked beans and some apples that while a little bruised were still edible. Sam cut the tine open and they began to eat in silence, not needing to talk. It had been four weeks since Sam had found him and Dean's head wound was completely healed with his leg well on its way. Once they had eaten Sam shifted around so Dean was leaning against him. Which was when they started Sam's speech practice, it had greatly improved since finding Dean. They had settled into a pattern together that just felt right. Dean knew by now he was probably assumed dead by the others but he couldn't go back, he might be in control now but who knew what would happen around people who weren't infected? And by camp law he and Sam would be killed anyway. So they would spend the rest of their lives together moving from place to place to stay safe from not only other infected but camp parties sent out for supplies or to thin the number of infected.

_TBC…_


End file.
